Comparing Hockey to Other Sports

By Rochelle Bergman

Well it is over, hockey season for awhile.
I now need to refocus my mind and get into other activities, till hockey is back.

I joined a garden club this year and I got myself a plot of land. I grow peas, carrots, radishes and strawberries and when I work on my garden, I wear my Toronto Maple Leaf shirt. Although I asked, no, I am not allowed to make a skating rink in winter with it!

I also realized that since I started to write for this website, I am prouder of my Leafs. This column has boosted my love for the game again. It was and is like a shot in my arm.

Now that the season is over, I wonder what the players are doing in their free time? Did they freeze their basements with water and skate all summer long? Are they teaching little kids all about hockey etiquette? Can they watch TV all summer? Can anyone? Questions like this can keep people up all night long!

I tried once to check out summer sports. I made popcorn and got myself a few drinks and sat in front of the TV for days!

I started watching anything with horses. Polo well, er, not! Horse jumping, I thought it would be better if the horse held the person while the person jumped over the fences.
Sports for me did not include animals. Aren’t sports between man to man, muscle to muscle?

I spent hours watching players running after balls, being chased around a diamond and the other things grown men do to entertain us. As I watched I realized that other sports are a bit lame to say the least. Most sports are done with running shoes on or shoes with cleats. Hockey on the other hand is like a dance, like a ballet. Instead of toes, the players are on thin blades, gliding around a rink. Sometimes very graceful, other times well, not! This sport is more exciting because of the ice and the thin blades.
Players have to stay focus on their blades, watch the puck, look for the net and keep their eyes on other players, what a dance!

No matter what is written about hockey, no matter what people say about sports, I really think that hockey is harder to perform.

I can’t wait for the season again!
Go Leafs Go!